MIAMI (WSVN) - It’s Super Bowl 54 media night, and for the first time in South Florida, football players and coaches will address the nation.
The NFL is taking over the Marlins Park baseball stadium where both Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers will be introduced, Monday.
“Straight ahead over there, is where both teams are going to be introduced from,” said NFL Director of Events Eric Finkelstein. “This will all come out onto the stage, and then ultimately come back down onto the floor to the various interview positions.”
Crews continue to add the finishing touches to the stadium.
“Fans are actually gonna be closer than ever, and be able to come down to the floor to see the interviews happening right in front of their face,” said Finkelstein.
Fans will be able to interact with team members and even ask questions.
“The Super Bowl has been here more than anywhere else. Whenever it comes, we want to make sure that the experience is elevated,” said Finkelstein, “so that it’s something they’ll have as a memory for the rest of their lives.”
All members of both teams will be available to be interviewed by the media ahead of the big game.
Celebrating the Super Bowl Miami style can be both good and bad.
“There’s so many distractions, as everybody knows,” said Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce. “It’s a crazy week, and in Miami, you can ramp everything up a whole 10 times. You just gotta be able to sort through the real and be able to be there for your teammates in the building, with the right mindset every single day.”
The Kansas City Chiefs arrived at Miami International Airport dressed in Miami tropical shirts, Sunday.
This will be the first Super Bowl for the Chiefs in 50 years.
The team will be staying at the JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort & Spa in Aventura, and will be practicing at the Miami Dolphin’s Training Facility.
The team’s quarterback said it’s all business for him while he is in town.
“Obviously we have a schedule of how we’re doing everything,” said Patrick Mahomes, “but seeing what extra free time I can pick up in order to study more, get guys together to get some more work in.”
The San Francisco 49ers will be staying in Downtown Miami and will practice at the University of Miami Training Facility.
For one of the 49ers defensive stars, playing at the Hard Rock Stadium is a homecoming. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas High School, and his father was first round draft pick of the Miami Dolphins.
“It’s really awesome,” said Nick Bosa. “I mean, being in my hometown, I went to a lot of Dolphins games. My dad played for the Dolphins, so just to be back into that stadium — I played a few high school games in there — it’s just, obviously, a pretty big moment for us.”
Practice for the Super Bowl will begin on Tuesday.
Fans are invited to attend media night. They can pay $25 to sit in the stands and watch the various interviews.
Organizers want to allow as many fans in as possible but expect at least 6,000 of them to attend.
“We’re doing that on purpose. We want this to be an intimate environment, so that fans can really have the chance to move around,” said Finkelstein. “It’s perfect for Miami.”
Miami has hosted the Super Bowl a record 11 times, and the NFL is always looking for ways to top the experience.
When asked why Miami was the NFL’s favorite city to host the Super Bowl, Finkelstein responded, “I mean, there’s a reason we keep coming back. It just works.”
Media night is set to begin at 7 p.m. Monday.
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